Facts for Fancy Fruit 99-14 November 18, 1999

Last Issue of 1999:  This is the last issue of Facts for Fancy Fruit
for 1999.  All paid subscribers will receive the first issue of 2000 in
March. At that time you will have an opportunity to renew your
subscription. You may also renew through the Indiana Horticultural
Congress registration in January. We hope you have enjoyed this yearÕs
issues and found them useful. If you have any suggestions on how we can
make the newsletter more useful please contact us.

Season review-Tree Fruits:   The season started on an ominous note with
peach crops frozen out in all but the lower parts of the state.  For
those that did have a crop, it was a good one in terms of both crop
load and fruit quality.  Flowering of apples was very patchy around the
state, with many orchards displaying some biennial bearing as seen by
light flowering.  A few folks (including us at Purdue) made the mistake
of under-estimating the level of flowering and not thinning or thinning
too lightly resulting in heavy crops of small fruit.  Favorable growing
conditions helped us out this year, with the drought not setting in
until after the critical period of cell division was over.  The dry
conditions probably cost us a little in terms of fruit size and may
hurt us in terms of return bloom.  On the other hand, the dry weather
reduced disease problems and allowed cover sprays to be stretched out a
little.  I think most folks have had a good marketing season, and the
issue of cider safety doesnÕt seem to have hit the headlines as it has
in the last few years.  There was a case of food illness attributed to
cider in Oklahoma in which five children became ill, but it attracted
scant attention in the national press and I doubt it affected sales too
much.  Outbreaks such as this however, are likely to keep the issue of
cider safety on the mind of the regulators. -Hirst

Season Review-Small Fruit and Grapes:  The winter of 1998-99 was a La
Nina winter as predicted, with swings in temperature and precipitation.
Fall through early December was very warm and dry, but sub-zero
temperatures occurred by the end of the year, and a major winter storm
hit in early January. The minimum low temperature for the winter
occurred on January 5 and ranged from Ð5 ûF in southern Indiana to
about Ð20 ûF in northern areas. The rapid changes in temperatures
probably lead to the significant amount of delayed winter injury that
was observed on brambles. Rainfall was near normal early in the season,
but by the end of June, many areas were experiencing drought. The
growing season started early and stayed about 1-2 weeks ahead of normal
all the way through harvest for most small fruit crops. Grapes were the
exception. The excessive heat of July slowed fruit development and by
the time the heat finally broke, harvest was 10-14 days later than
normal. Fruit quality of the mid and late season grape varieties was
excellent, while the early season varieties had low sugars and high pH
due to the excessive heat. Fruit diseases were rare with the exception
of a major black rot outbreak at one commercial vineyard. The heat and
drought caused potassium deficiency symptoms in many vineyards and some
growers had to reduce the crop to avoid excessive stress on vines.
Overall it was a real ÔvintageÕ year for Indiana grapes. Record high
temperatures occurred during early June that severely damaged the
strawberry crop in the northern half of the state, causing rapid
ripening of the berries and a very quick end to the harvest season.
Growers in southern areas had one of the earliest and best seasons
ever. Eastern flower thrips were reported in fairly high numbers
throughout the region. Strawberries in southern areas were mostly
finished blooming before the thrips arrived so damage was minimal. The
central and northern areas werenÕt so lucky. The thrips combined with
excessive heat really hurt northern Indiana strawberry growers.
Statewide, blueberry yield was down due to an off year for the Jersey
variety, but overall fruit quality and size were excellent and harvest
was about one week early. Japanese beetle numbers seemed to be down
compared to previous years. Raspberries and blackberries saw mixed
results. Some growers reported extensive winter injury while others saw
little problems. Summer bearing reds fared okay, but fall bearing
varieties suffered from the prolonged drought and heat. Blackberries in
southern areas preformed best among the bramble crops. The drought
continued through July, August, and September. The effects of the heat
and drought wonÕt be known until next year. I suspect there will be
reduced yield potential for next year because of the negative effects
on flower bud development.  -Bordelon

Season Review-Tree Fruit Diseases:  Tree fruit diseases were at a low
level throughout the year. Continued dry weather through much of early
and late summer resulted in low disease pressure and consequently low
to moderate disease happenings.  The one exception was fire blightÉ of
course!  While fire blight has been pretty much non-existent for the
past five years, there were a number of isolated reports of severe fire
blight in the middle and southern areas of the state.  Again, this
demonstrates that there is always a good supply of the bacteria around
and all it takes is the proper environmental conditions to have a
severe outbreak.  This is why monitoring for fire blight conditions
during the bloom period is required every year.  In orchards where a
good spray program for apple scab was not followed fruit scab was very
evident.    However, compared with the past five years, both primary
and secondary scab infection periods were light to moderate resulting
in significantly less foliar and fruit apple scab.  An interesting
observation at the Purdue Horticultural farm was severe fruit scab on
certain blocks where Nova has been used as the primary scab fungicide
for the past 7 to 8 years.  We strongly suspect fungicide resistance to
the apple scab pathogen.  This points out the need for growers to
reevaluate their fungicide program if they have been using sterol
inhibitors on a regular basis (more than 4 applications per year) for
six or more years. Sooty blotch and flyspeck as always were common
fruit problems at harvest. However, the drought conditions that
extended from mid-summer through harvest resulted in only light to
moderate levels of sooty blotch and flyspeck. The extreme low
temperatures of early January did result in a reduction of powdery
mildew, with only mild mildew outbreaks occurring on the most
susceptible varieties. Leaf curl was again the most prominent disease
on peach and nectarine with perennial canker coming in a close second,
no doubt because of the cold injured wood tissue and dead twigs. The
lack of stone fruits resulted in a lack of peach brown rot and scab.
-Pecknold

Season Review-Tree Fruit Insects: 1999 was a fairly normal season for
most insect pests in Indiana. Potato leafhoppers arrived earlier than
normal and became serious problems in some orchards. The above average
temperatures pushed insect development along so that we had a third
generation of codling moths in most areas of the state. We continue to
have a few reports of codling moth problems even though the OP
insecticides have been used regularly.  The reports are not from the
same orchards each year, so there is no strong evidence for the
development of resistance. One of the surprises of 1999, given the hot,
dry conditions, was the lack of problems with European red mites. Even
though conditions were favorable for mite populations to develop, we
had very few orchards that had mite problems. I would guess that the
lack of problems is the result of having good acaricides available and
growers doing a good job conserving their predatory mites.  -Foster

Cider Contest:  Last year at Hort. Congress we held the first ever
Indiana cider contest.  This proved to be a popular event among cider
makers.  The winner was Steve Doud who received a framed plaque to hang
in his market stating that he was judged to produce the best apple
cider in the state.  Customer feedback from this has been positive.
The contest will be held again this year. It is open to all cider
makers in Indiana, and the winner and place-getters will receive framed
plaques. To enter:  Either fresh or frozen cider may be submitted
(frozen cider should be thawed when it is submitted).  We require 2
gallons per entry, which should be submitted at the desk at Hort.
Congress on Tuesday January 25.  Entry is free and is open to all cider
makers in Indiana.

China assessed 55 percent duty on apple-juice concentrate imports:  The
U.S. Department of Commerce yesterday levied duties of 54.55 percent on
most Chinese apple-juice concentrate imports, in response to a dumping
complaint lodged by the U.S. apple industry. ÒOur nationÕs apple
growers and processors have been economically ravaged by dumped Chinese
concentrate imports,Ó said U.S. Apple Association  (USApple) President
and CEO Kraig R. Naasz.  ÒOur industry can compete with anyone in a
fair fight.  TodayÕs ruling should level the playing field, and help
restore our industryÕs financial footing.Ó  Imports of Chinese
concentrate increased by more than 1,200 percent between 1995 and 1998,
from 3,000 metric tons to 40,000 metric tons, according to the U.S.
Census Bureau.  During that same period, the average price of Chinese
concentrate imports declined by more than 53 percent, from $7.65 per
gallon in 1995 to $3.57 per gallon in 1998.  ChinaÕs share of the U.S.
concentrate market has increased from 1 percent in 1995 to 18 percent
in 1998. Meanwhile, the average price for U.S.-made apple-juice
concentrate has fallen by 50 percent since 1995, while the average
price U.S. growers receive for juice apples has declined by 64
percent-from $153 per ton in 1995 to $55 per ton in 1998-as a result of
below-cost Chinese concentrate imports.  Apple growers have lost more
than $135 million in revenue since 1995 from a decline in juice-apple
prices, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
ÒUnfortunately, weÕve seen far too many otherwise competitive growers
and processors drown in the sea of red ink caused by ChinaÕs unfair
pricing practices,Ó said Naasz. ÒTodayÕs decision has buoyed our
spirits and possibly preserved our survival.Ó   (from the Fruit Growers
News)

Tax Deductible Gifts to the 1998 Purdue Fruit Research and Extension
Fund:  The Department of Horticulture has a gift account to support
Pomology Extension and Applied Research.  Anyone who wishes to
contribute to the account can receive a tax credit from the state. In
addition, the Indiana Horticultural Society voted to support a
voluntary checkoff for apples in the amount of one (1) cent per bushel
to be used to help support the tree fruit research and extension
program.  This is a very nominal amount and should present little
problem for Indiana growers.  For each 1,000 bushels a grower produces
that translates to $10.  For each 10,000 bushels that becomes $100.
Growers in other states are contributing much larger amounts to their
industry research and promotion programs.
	Indiana citizens can receive a 50% tax credit for direct contribution
to an in-state university up to a maximum gift of $400 if filing a
joint return or $200 if filing an individual return.  The tax credit
directly reduces the bottom line of your state income tax, either
reducing the amount you owe in taxes or increasing the refund you will
receive.  If you work for a company that participates in the Matching
Gift Program, you may double (or more) the value of your gift.  Look
for form CC 40 or check with your accountant.
	Contributions can be made payable to Purdue University and sent to:
Tree Fruit Research/Extension Fund, Dept. of Horticulture and Landscape
Architecture, Purdue University, 1165 Horticulture, W. Lafayette, IN
47907-1165.  On your check memo line, please indicate for fund
704-1165-0012.  Please note that this fund will not be limited to
horticultural work, but will include the other programs related to tree
fruit production.  For more information on gift giving contact the
Purdue Research Foundation, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
for information on the Annual Giving and Matching Gift Program.  PRF
will send a brochure that explains all the options and provides forms
needed for contribution and tax credit.

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Coming Meetings:

January 3-4, 2000 Ð KSHS/KVGA Annual Meeting and Trade Show. Holiday
Inn North, Lexington, KY

January 16-20, 2000 Ð 5th International Symposium on Cool Climate
Viticulture and Enology. Melbourne, Australia. Contact the symposium
secretary at ICMS Pty. Ltd., 84 Queensbridge St., Southbanc, VIC 3006
Australia. Phone: 61 3 9862 0244 or check out the website at
www.icms.com.au/coolclimate

January 24-26, 2000 Ð Indiana Horticultural Congress. AdamÕs Mark
Hotel, Indianapolis. Contact Jim Simon at 765-494-1328.

February 10-12, 2000 Ð North American FarmersÕ Direct Marketing
Association meeting. Cincinnati, OH

February 13-15, 2000 Ð Ohio Grape-Wine Short Course. Columbus, OH
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bruce Bordelon, 1165 Dept. of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture,
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1165, 317/494-1301, e-mail:
bordelon@hort.purdue.edu

Peter Hirst, 1165 Dept. of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture,
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1165, 317/494-1323, e-mail:
hirst@hort.purdue.edu

Paul Pecknold, 1155 Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology, Purdue
University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1155, 317/494-4628, e-mail:
Pecknold@btny.purdue.edu

Rick Foster, 1158 Dept. of Entomology, Purdue University, West
Lafayette, IN 47907-1158, 317/494-9572, e-mail:
Rick_Foster@entm.purdue.edu

Disclaimer:  Reference to products in this publication is not an
endorsement to the exclusion of others that may be similar.  Any person
using products listed in this newsletter assumes full responsibility
for their use in accordance with current label directions of the
manufacturer.